How You Remind Me
by PetiteEnigma
Summary: An orphaned cub with no definitive knowledge of where or who she came from wanders into the Pridelands, bringing with her a reminder of darker times that is hard to ignore. Set after SP.
1. The Past is Another Land

_**A/N: **Hey, I'm new to TLK fanfic-ing after developing an obsession with it. Just ask Awena...this Fennec fox who acts as my newfound TLK muse and has been trampling all my other muses to get me to write this. _

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Something glistened in the distance. Waves of heat on swells of sand distorted pebbles into little pools of false hope. She would be better off just continuing on…but her judgment was as dry as the sands around her. On little paws raw from salt she plodded over to the shimmer. It grew as she neared it. So did her wishing. Gingerly she tapped the shine with a claw. Ripples appeared on the otherwise stagnant surface. Water! She lapped up as much of it as she could. Once it was just a thin muddy film in the depression she stood in it, reveling in how the lukewarm liquid felt on her paws. The cub turned around in the mud as it dried, caking her paws in a soothing layer.

The sun dipped towards the horizon as the moon rose to take its place. Her paws had long since lost their mud coverings, but it had worked well for the time being. Night was so cold compared to the sweltering heat pounding down from the sun during the day. She dragged her tail and stared at the ground with her head bowed. A massive rock formation rose in the distance, nearing with every step, but she took no notice of it. Sand made way for a small strip of cracked ground, and then it changed to something soft under her paws. She opened her half closed green eyes to find herself on sweet smelling grass. The outlines of lionesses strolling along and some cubs tussling made her breathe a sigh of relief. She bounded along with new found energy until she had halved the distance between herself and them, but stopped herself short. What if they didn't like outsiders? She crouched down low, not trusting her dark brown fur to conceal her against the green and yellow grass, inching along slowly beneath the noon-day sun.

A lioness with golden tawny fur whipped her head in the hiding cub's direction, smiled, and strolled over to her. "Who do we have here?"

She sat on her haunches, staring at a blade of grass between her forepaws, afraid to look in the eyes of the lioness. "I'm…Kamaria." Her name came out just barely above a whisper.

By now all the other cubs and lionesses had taken notice of the new comer. The lioness picked Kamaria up gently by the scruff of her neck and carried her over to the shaded grove where the others were. At once she was pressed with questions from all sides.

"Where are you from?"

"Did you leave your pride?"

"Why did you leave?"

"Do you have a pride?"

"Did they make you leave?"

A shaky breath was drawn in, and strength with it. "It's too far from here to remember…I don't have a pride. It was just my mother and I. Something happened when she was out hunting…" She closed her eyes as she trailed off.

"Nala, look at her paw." Another lioness with tan fur that had a grayish undertone spoke concernedly to the first.

Sure enough, there was a puddle of blood around one of the dark brown paws. Kamaria lifted it gingerly and peered at the underside. A gash ran along the largest pad. Deep red blood trickled out at an alarming rate. She licked at it fervently, trying to stop the flow. Her eyes widened in shock just before she crumpled. She couldn't feel Nala take her by the scruff of her neck once more, this time to be carried to the watering hole. The cubs followed closely behind. Something cold and wet hit her nose. She opened one eye groggily and peered at a crescent of lion cubs that had gathered around her.

An elderly lioness came over and inspected her paw, which had thankfully ceased bleeding. "I'm Sarabi," she grinned at Kamaria, "are you hungry?"

"Oh yes, I'm very hungry ma'am," the cub sat up, giving a small simper of sincerity in return. Her thin bony frame hadn't gone unnoticed by any of the lionesses who observed her; even a few of the cubs took note and had whispered among themselves about it.

"Alright then, I have to take you to see my son, Simba." Sarabi nudged her up into a standing position, and then added for clarification, "He's the king of the Pridelands and in charge of how food is dispensed among the pride."

"Nia… isn't Kovu king too?" One female cub inquired with confusion, tilting her pale tawny head to the side, widening a bright blue eye, and perking up one ear.

The girl who had been addressed explained with a haughty tone: "Waseme, Kovu is in line to be king, but he and Simba share a lot of the duties." She whipped the piece of her peach fur that grew over her brown eyes out of the way.

Kamaria just shook her head a little bit as she followed Sarabi, catching the small portion of their conversation. The trek over to pride rock was just a short way along the path, but she was loathe to walking after wandering for days on end. She scrambled up the rock formation, heart pounding out of nervousness. They stopped near the entrance to the cavern; Sarabi gave her a look to stay put before disappearing inside. Some moments later a lion with goldish brown fur and fiery red mane emerged. He whispered something to Sarabi who smiled at the cub and went to rejoin the others.

"Kamaria, I am Simba." He greeted her, showing that Sarabi had told him the strange cub's name. "So, you'd like some food would you?"

"Y-yes sir…" She stammered somewhat softly, her ears low

Simba gave her a grin almost identical to that of his mother Sarabi's, "How would you like to stay here…and join the pride?"

Nearly leaping with joy, Kamaria's ears perked up and a trace of a smile grazed her features, "I would love to stay here--" a sad thought came to her—"I've never had a pride before…"

"Come on; let's go get you something to eat." Simba motioned for her to follow him back down pride rock. He led her to where the carcass of a zebra that had been killed earlier that day lay. "Go on…have your fill."

She just about dove into it, tearing of hunks, chewing them contentedly, and swallowing just as she got another piece to replace it. Until she was full to bursting, more so than she could ever remember being, she continued in the same manner. Wiping her muzzle with the back of her paw, she expressed her gratitude, "Thank you."

"You should go introduce yourself to the other cubs," he instructed with a smile, sending on her way.

She nodded and went scampering off to find them. They were playing some sort of game in the grove as the lionesses sunned themselves on large flat rocks. In quick succession they stopped playing and turned to face her. One of the male cubs with an orange tinge to his fur spoke first, "I'm Musa…do you want to play tag too?" His white fur had a dusting of dirt from rolling around.

"Sure. I'm Kamaria." She flicked her tail.

A short while later she found that there were seven cubs (she made the eighth), five girls and two boys. Besides Nia, Waseme, and Musa there was Amri was a male with apricot fur and a tuft similar to his little sister Nia's; Chuki's light tan fur had a grayish blue tinge to it, along with a pattern of dots splattered on one side of her nose; and Harbuu and Zahra: the inseparable twins with flaxen fur and if it weren't for their respective tails having minutely different tufts of dark and light brown no one could tell them apart.

Someone—Nia--swatted her side and shouted, "Kama's it!" before racing away again. She took a moment to get her bearings then sprinted towards Musa who quickly dodged, exposing Zahra who had ducked behind him. "Got--" Kama was so close, but Zahra slipped away in the nick of time-- "cha…" the latter was a crestfallen whisper. "Hey Kama! Come and get us!" Waseme taunted playfully from where the other cubs were sitting on a log. She charged and they scattered in every direction. Amri tumbled and righted himself just as Kamaria bowled into him. They tumbled for a short distance; she ended up pining him with a triumphant look. She leapt off of him, yelling "Amri's it!" as she darted to join the ranks of the chased once more.

The game of tag continued on as the sun moved through the sky. As the light got dimmer the cubs finally took notice of how late it was getting. The lionesses called for their cubs to give them baths. "You'll sleep better." Sarabi quieted their protests. Kamaria hung back and waited patiently for them to finish. Maybe they just weren't comfortable with her yet or they could have just been occupied, but none of the lionesses offered to give her a bath. The moon and stars had fully replaced the sun by the time all of the other cubs were bathed. They ambled to Pride Rock and filed into the cavern, taking their customary sleeping spots. Unsure of how close she should be to the others, she turned around a few times along the wall just inside the entrance and curled up on herself as closely as she could. The first sleep she had had in days was far from restful though.

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_**A/N:** Here are what the names for the cubs mean, if you're interested._

_Kamaria- Bright as the moon  
Nia- Radiance; brightness  
Waseme- Let them talk  
Musa- Drawn out of the water  
Amri- Power, authority, command  
__Chuki- Born in a time of strife and hatred  
Harbuu- Warrior  
Zahra- Flower  
__  
Reviews please!_


	2. The Dark I Know Well

The cub's sleeping mind plagued her with memories.

"_Stay hidden," Her mother's whispered words would have gone unheeded if Kamaria wasn't listening so intently to everything around her._

_She nodded, hunkering down further into the tall, swaying grasses as the lioness set off in hot pursuit of an antelope that had strayed from its herd. The sound of hooves and paws pounding along the ground dimmed into nothingness. Being alone was nothing new to her, but this isolation left her holding her breath. She noticed every last rustle and howl of the wind. A roar of surprise and helplessness in the distance was swiftly cut short. The sun dipped below the horizon and the full moon illuminated the grasslands that surrounded Kamaria with a pearlescent sheen. All around her the air was filled with the sound of hyenas cackling. She closed her eyes; the dream-memory began to fade away, leaving only the haunting reverberations of laughter._

Chest heaving, she snapped her eyes open. A quick glance around the cave revealed everyone else slumbering peaceably. For comfort she grasped the black tuft of her own tail between her forepaws. She fell back asleep, visibly shaking out of both cold and horror at the memory. Sometime later she woke as everyone else was beginning to stir. As they passed her to go outside most glanced at her, a few ignored her, but only Waseme gave her a greeting. Kamaria shook herself to wake up and stretched her paws out in front of her. At the base of Pride Rock the other cubs sat chatting…

"She looks like Kovu," Zahra declared.

Harbuu disputed this, "No, her face is different in shape."

"Of course it is. She's a girl." Nia stated matter-of-factly.

…about her. She yawned loudly (and a bit obnoxiously) to get their attention. Once she had it they received an icy glare that turned into a look of hurt. Wasn't that one of the things her mother had said she wanted to avoid; others talking behind her back? As the days went by her memories of her mother were fading. Small mutterings in sleep or when she was thought to be out of earshot told a story of why she had no pride. The word 'banished' had cropped up every once in awhile.

"Let's go to the old hyena cave." Nia suggested boldly and made to set out, but not before Amri succeeded in latching onto her tail.

"No one's going anywhere." He chided from between his teeth and his little sister's tail.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, kid." A meerkat quipped, pulling Nia's tail from Amri's gullet.

Harbuu groaned, "Timon…did they send you and Pumbaa out after us again?"

As if on cue the warthog in question stepped forward, "Who else would babysit you little lions?"

"But of course if you don't want us…I bet Zazu would be glad to watch you." With a shrug Timon presented their options.

"No no no not Zazu…" the twins insisted in stereo as the rest—save Kamaria—just shook their heads.

The meerkat finally took notice of the new cub, "Another one? Sheesh… And I thought looking after just one of these hairballs was difficult."

"Who are you calling a hairball?" Kama pressed her nose to Timon's, staring with an intensity of fire into his eyes. Before anyone could say 'hakuna matata' he was hiding in the tuft of hair between Pumbaa's ears. "I'm Kamaria." She added as an afterthought.

"She's crazy," Chuki whispered to Waseme, only to get an incredulous expression in return.

Musa diverted the conversation back to the original topic: "Anyone still want to go to old hyena cave?"

"Oh no, no way, no how is anyone going near that creepy place." Timon interjected, holding up both hands in protest.

"What about the elephant graveyard?" Nia suggested.

"And that's better _how_ exactly?" He dragged a palm over his face in despair.

"Oh come on Timon, we want to have some fun…" Harbuu whined pleadingly.

Pumbaa chose then to speak up, "But you can have fun in the Pridelands."

"We've never seen the old hyena cave _or_ the elephant graveyard. Please Timon. They hyenas ran off years ago…everyone knows that." The white cub had a more successful attempt at swaying the babysitters to their side.

"Pumbaa…hakuna matata?" The meerkat shrugged dejectedly and the warthog stated, "Hakuna matata."

"Well, then let's go." The cubs let out whoops of joy and went bounding along towards the cave.

Geysers in the floor hissed loudly, shooting up columns of steam. Even without the mangy hyenas the place was creepy. The cubs soon made sport of leaping over the geysers between bursts. Chuki had the misfortune of being caught by the hot water though and went rolling along the floor a few times. She laughed it off…the sound echoed.

"Whoa!" Nia shouted, the words reverberated back 'whoa…whoa…whoa…'.

Amri added in a "Hey!" that came back as: 'hey….hey…..hey…'.

"Cool!" Zahra called as it mixed with her twin's "Hello!"

Until they were hoarse from yelling nonsensically the cubs continued to marvel at the echoes. Eventually they all just collapsed into laughter, making it sound as though there were a hundred cubs instead of just eight in the cave. A mouse went scampering by and stopped to pick up a seed of some sort. Kamaria pounced on it, trapping it beneath both her paws.

"Don't eat me!" It squeaked loudly.

"Aw…that's no fun." She feigned disappointment, keeping her paw on the mouse's tail a little while longer before letting it shoot off into the shadows.

"You're weird." Chuki giggled, launching herself onto Kama's back.

Kamaria swiftly flipped so Chuki was pinned beneath her. "You have _no_ idea."

"Wow you're good at that." The spotted girl commented then insisted, "Let me up, would you?"

The green-eyed cub hopped off in silent reply.

"Maybe we should head back now," Amri articulated his concern over the sudden tension in the cave. He was the oldest cub after all.

"Look at the sun…" Timon commented nervously and herded the cubs out before quickly ducking away.

The lionesses were waiting for the cubs, similar looks of disappointment on all their faces. Vitani stepped in front of Kamaria and hissed, "We let you join our pride and you think you can be a trouble-maker?"

"I…I…" The new girl backed away and Musa stepped forward.

"It was my idea." He admitted boldly.

"Yeah…she just came along." Nia contributed.

Nala noticed the babysitters trying to make their escape. "Timon. Pumbaa."—she called—"What did you two have to do with this?"

"Erm…nothing…" Timon shrank behind the warthog's head.

"But Timon, remember? We went along with the cubs." Pumbaa reminded him with a tinge of confusion in his voice.

"We'll figure this out later. For now, everyone: back to the grove." Kiara sighed and looked at the twentysomething other lionesses then the cubs. They shared a common fear for the safety of the cubs. Especially after what had happened two seasons ago. All those cubs had dropped dead out of a similar mysterious reason. But for now they let the youngsters play and enjoy their innocence. If life had taught them anything, it was even if cubs wanted to know more, certain things were better left found out than said.

"She looks like Taka…" An older lioness—Sarafina—confided with a hushed tone in Sarabi's ear.

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_**A/N: **Somewhat shorter than the first chapter...but I like how this chapter turned out. Comments? Con crit? Review please!_


	3. I Have Confidence

The sun beamed accusatively down on the disappointed lionesses and disheartened cubs with no qualms or clouds to impede its view. Past kings watched without being detected. Simba and Kovu stood on the prow of Pride Rock, speaking of the lesson they had to teach the cubs. By the time the rest of the pride was assembled near the impressive stone formation, a plan was formulated. With a thank you the lionesses were dismissed, leaving only the cubs cowering together.

"How could you go to the cave? It's dangerous." Kovu's voice was stern but laced with concern as well.

The original entrance to the cave had collapsed, entrapping the previous group of curious cubs inside…by the time enough debris had been cleared away gas from the geysers had suffocated the cubs. Amri by the grace of the Great Spirit had survived…barely.

"The hyenas left ages ago." Nia made a futile attempt at rationalizing.

Harbuu piped up, "Yeah, and none of the other prides bother us."

"This has nothing to do with feuds or rivalries." Simba growled, and then shook his head, "We just don't want to lose any of you."

"I tried to stop them…but then Timon and Pumbaa said they would watch us and---" Amri found his words swiftly cut short.

"Amri as the oldest cub you need to accept some sort of responsibility. You know what can happen in the cave." Kovu chastised the young male, and piqued the interests of the others.

"What did you do?" Chuki implored with a gasp.

"Nothing." The defensive tone in Amri's voice didn't go unnoticed.

Through the whole exchange Kamaria sat mutely, wondering if the lions would find her at fault for going to the cave. It was unmistakable that several of the lionesses already had opinions of her. She tried not to move a muscle, to blend in with the world around her and be nothing more than a mirage as her mother had taught her. Danger lurked at every tree and stone. Playing became a way to learn observation; pouncing was often a source of another meal…no matter how small. Everything had to have a reason behind it. Challenges had to be quickly evaluated and judgment passed on an appropriate course of action. Affection made someone less aware: mother and daughter slept and walked separately. Carrying was reserved only for times of immediate danger.

"_Mother…I'm so tired…and hungry….and thirsty…" Kamaria's own voice was hoarse in her mind._

_The memory of the lioness's hopelessly optimistic reply, "Just a little farther…I have to find these things."_

"Kama? Kamaria? Hello-oo! Anyone in there?" Waseme was waving her paw in front of the other cub's eyes, demonstrating that apparently she had spaced-out.

The daydreaming cub blinked a few times and offered an apology to everyone who had gathered around, "Sorry…"

"You're shivering." Kovu commented.

_Even through the night they trudged on. "I'm cold, Mother." Her own memory pleaded weakly._

"_You're cold? To admit that is what makes you weak. Do you want to be weak? Do you, Kamaria?" Her mother's words biting words made the night air seem as warm as the day._

"I'm fine. I'm not cold." The answer was rushed and spoken with too much confidence for her wavering voice, a way to convince herself of it more than those around her.

"Are you sure?" Kovu put a paw on her back comfortingly. She only stiffened into an unyielding form.

Simba looked from the lion and cub who looked so similar to the other cubs who sat waiting patiently. He dismissed them and held a short internal conference before leaving the two. Kamaria let out the breath she had been holding when Kovu removed his paw from her back. How could someone so young be unused to touch and have such an aversion to it?

"Yes. I'm sure." Such unabashed compassion was foreign to her though. Cracks appeared immediately in the wall that was so ingrained in her. Her tone faltered, dropping to a whisper.

"Are you truly? Are you afraid of something?" Kovu moved closer to her, she instinctively scotched away ever so slightly.

"I'm not afraid of anything." What a lie that statement was! She feared hyenas, rivers, moonless nights, eerie sounds, her mother, death, and being exposed.

"Everyone gets scared sometimes. Even me." He admitted, turning his head so she could see his scar.

She wiped the look of shock from her features and repeated with disbelief, "You? A full grown lion? You're afraid of things?"

"_Are those tears?" Her mother snapped as the girl looked up from being knocked over. "What have I told you about showing emotion?"_

"_It makes you weak." The reply was hurried and rehearsed._

"_Are you weak?"_

"_No, Mother." The tears were wiped away, but the unexplained sting at her mother's harshness was not._

Kovu yawned, which made her realize how exhausted she still was and yawn as well. To his chagrin she solidly remained sitting upright, but her heavy lids threatened to close. He scooped her up in his jaws by her midsection softly and securely. She dangled limply and allowed her eyes to close. By the time he had carried her down to the grove she was slumbering peaceably in his grasp. After setting her small, limp form down he laid down beside her, offering comfort and protection.

"_Mother…may I sleep with you?" Kama inquired uselessly at the unconscious form of the lioness. "Please Mother?" She gently tugged on an ear, only to be swatted away with a heavy paw. A look of dejectedness passed over her before turning away. She hunkered down a little ways off, covering her muzzle with her paw. It muffled her cries, exposing the feeling of helplessness that could only surface when her mother was sleeping soundly. The dream was different somehow. The ground wasn't nearly so cold and unforgiving. Her dream-self looked up wearily and found the shadowed figure of her mother replaced by a male one. She inched towards him, features became more apparent. A scar, the dark mane, fur colored so similarly to hers. She placed her head on one of his paws, a simple gesture to request acceptance of an emotional kind. _

As time went by he pulled her closer to him. Eventually she was cradled in his forelegs, emitting small contented purrs every so often. She awoke to find herself trapped. For a moment before the events of earlier she panicked. Kovu sat up, releasing her. She nuzzled against his leg then leapt away at a female voice.

"Did you two sleep well?" Kiara laughed, but not unkindly.

"Amazingly well," Kovu smiled and stretched. Kama simply nodded; the look of terror not very well hidden.

"There's no need to be frightened little one." The young lioness grinned at Kamaria. "The others are waiting to play."

As she scampered away, refreshed by the nap, she couldn't help but to catch a few of their words.

"I was watching the two of you sleep. She looks so much like you…" Kiara informed the lion she loved then in a subdued tone verbalized her thoughts: "I was wondering if we could raise her as our own."

"She won't replace Dalila…" Kovu stated sadly.

"Just because one cub is lost doesn't mean it has to be replaced. We could love them as both our daughters." Kiara recalled her older brother Kopa who had disappeared when they were nearly the same ages as Amri and Nia.

Musa's back was to her. Slowly she crept until she was a few paces behind him…and sprung! They rolled and tussled around innocently. She found herself staring upwards at golden eyes and he down at green ones. In nearly the same instant they leapt away.

"Tag!!!" Waseme shouted and no sooner had the monosyllabic word left her mouth that the other cubs were running pell-mell through the grasslands. To avoid disputes an unspoken rule had been established: whoever declares a game is 'it' first.

Cubs launched themselves over (and sometimes into) each other in their efforts to avoid being 'it'. But they could only sprint for so long. The goal was to get far enough away so that one could catch their breath, or at least wait for 'it' to be distracted by someone else. The twins greatly enjoyed confusing whoever 'it' was by switching out so they never seemed to tire, due to this tactic though most of the other cubs wouldn't chase them if given the choice.

"Amri's it!"

Streaks of fur went in opposite directions as soon as the words were out. He became short of breath quickly though, his sister allowed herself to be tagged when she noted how ragged his breathing was.

"Nia's it!" She called out for herself as her older brother panted to catch his breath.

Similarly to the first day, they continued playing until dazzling colors danced across the sky as the sun dipped below the horizon. Before the lionesses came to retrieve them the cubs turned their gazes upward. Finding that craning one's neck to take in the vastness of the star-filled sky was painful, they flopped onto their backs contentedly.

"They say the great kings of the past are up there...watching us." Chuki broke the silence.

"What about all those other stars? Who are they?" Waseme inquired.

"Hmmm…they can't all be kings…can they?" Harbuu continued the discussion.

"I wonder what happens to the ones whose names are forgotten…" Zahra mused.

"Why are there only guys up there though? What about girls? There are more of us anyway." Nia asked truthfully.

"Maybe because we're more important," Musa boasted.

"Oh yeah? And who does the hunting?" Nia retorted.

"Cut it out you two." Amri objected to any further debates of lions are better than lionesses or vice versa.

For a while longer the cubs just lay back, quietly watching the celestial bodies above them. Kamaria focused on what Zahra and Nia had said most of all. Was her mother up there? Could she ever find her even though she (her mother) had never revealed her name?

"_Mother? What's your name?" She couldn't find anything wrong with the question, but still unsheathed claws found her side._

"_I am only 'Mother' to you. Why does it matter to you what my name is?" Her mother's rhetorical question left her hanging her head._

_Later that night she had heard murmurings from the sleeping lioness "…Nyota…I am Nyota…"._

The mother lionesses came over to herd their young back to pride rock. Kiara was among them; she picked up Kama by the scruff of her neck just as all the others did. At the cave she set the cub down, watching how she glanced back and forth between her and the spot she had slept in before. Catching on that the lioness was inviting her to a warmer place to sleep, the cub leapt over those who were already sleeping and nestled in beside her.

No nightmares toyed with her mind that night. Tucked comfortably between the lioness's forelegs she slept without her memories running rampant. Images of the starry night sky filled her mind's eye. They moved and swirled until a picture of her mother formed. She looked remorseful, her gaze never meeting that of her daughter's.

"_Are you upset with me Mother?" Kamaria inquired of the ghost._

"_No…" She sighed, blowing some of the stars away. "You must find someone who will love you more than I ever could." The image began to fade._

"_But Mother, wait! I don't know what you mean!" The cub begged as the representation began to dissipate._

"_You have to move on, Kamaria." The words no longer had a definitive source._

"_Yes, Mother." She watched until no sign of the spirit was left then added, "I'll remember you…just like you remembered everyone you left."_

Glad for the strange sense of closure she had been given, the cub wondered what 'find someone who will love you' meant. Hadn't her mother loved her? Was it because she was snoozing contentedly with this lioness, Kiara, while her mother had always shoved her away from doing the same? Whatever it was she could wait until some other time to ponder it. For now she remained snuggled against Kiara.

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_**A/N: **Woohoo! Another day, another update. Reviews please! (I feed them to Awena so she'll keep inspiring me)_


	4. Another Day

"Hey!" Zahra's cry of annoyance rattled everyone else in the cave awake. Particularly the cubs who slept in a rigmarole pile. "She bit my butt!"

Harbuu looked up sheepishly, "I was dreaming about hunting an antelope…"

"Do I taste like an antelope to you?" the first twin asked incredulously.

"No…" she averted her gaze to the upper portions of the cave then collapsed into a fit of giggles on top of her sister.

Amri and Musa exchanged glances, grumbling "Girls…" in stereo. For that though they received pointed looks from nearly all the lionesses.

The cubs darted between the lionesses' legs. It was an unwise game of 'don't get stepped on', but Simba and Nala had done the same thing to a herd of elephants when they were of similar stature. And that clearly fell under the category of 'really stupid things to do that can get someone killed'. Following closely behind were going where the adults of the pride tell you not to go and talking to strangers.

Rules. To every cub they are the bane of existence that helps to continue their existence. Hadn't the stories of how the pridelanders came to live in and around Pride Rock been lost for generations? Who was to say it wasn't stumbled upon by some curious cubs? But then there is always the argument from the adults' perspective. Cubs were the future of the pride…a future that half a year ago had been on very shaky ground.

Eleven cubs gone. Snatched away by the Great Spirit all too soon. Cries of terror muffled by a wall of rocks and dirt. The silence that greeted them was the worst thing they had ever heard. A fateful day had turned them into more cautions, more acutely aware parents. Among those lost had been the true heir. Another moon had passed.

"We're going hunting. Keep within sight of Pride Rock…." Nala instructed the cubs.

"All of you?" Nia inquired huffily.

"Yes all of us. We'll be able to hunt more and that means more food, which means longer until we have to go hunting again." She halted any further questions by turning tail and trotting over to where the other lionesses had assembled to discuss and strategize for the day's hunt.

"Oh great…the babysitters are here…" Musa offered a paw lazy to indicate the direction in which Timon and Pumbaa were barreling towards them at breakneck speed.

"Duck!" Chuki hollered. Not a moment late as well; the cubs managed to press themselves to the point where grass met dirt.

Kamaria dusted herself off first, observing with a shrug, "That's not a duck. That's a Pumbaa with a hitch-hiking Timon."

"It's not hitch-hiking if you know the guy who's giving the ride." The meerkat countered.

"I'm bored…" Amri languished, flopping against the dirt. He sneezed when it rose in a dusty cloud.

Nia grinned devilishly at the caretakers then the other female cubs.

"Umm…I don't like it when she looks like that…" Pumbaa took one step backwards.

The tiny lionesses slowly crept forward, driving the insectivores into a nearby boulder. They made to pounce and…fell over on each other guffawing at the shocked expressions.

"You should have seen the looks on your faces!" Chuki rocked on her back until her stomach hurt from laughing too hard.

"I've seen him make that face before…years ago." The tiniest among them commented, "It's his 'She's gonna eat me!' face. Of course the only time I saw that Nala was chasing him through the jungle. Well, that's a story you already know."

"You're crazy." Waseme rolled her eyes at Nia, who promptly attacked.

They had all rolled around in faux tussles before, but something told them this was more serious. Perhaps the drops of blood were a hint. Kamaria pulled Waseme away while Amri pinned Nia. Superficial scratches were present on both of them, proof that they were all getting older and stronger.

"She bit me…" Waseme examined her tail, which was clearly the source of most of the bleeding.

"Yeesh…talk about killer instinct." Timon rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously.

Musa composed himself regally and mimicked Simba, "Violence is a last resort." His façade broke quickly though.

The grass rustled, the leaves of a small nearby tree shook slightly, and the dark-furred cub set off to stalk. She crept upwards then let out a roar. The unfortunate chameleon that had planned on taking a nice nap and maybe catch a few flies to snack on flashed into a bright blue. She grabbed its tail in her teeth before it had the chance to scuttle away. Leaping down, she showed off her catch. By now the chameleon was changing colors and patterns dizzyingly in a hardened but failing attempt to get the curious youngsters to let it go.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?" Zazu quipped, causing all heads to turn, then added with a sigh under his breath, "Déjà vu…"

"Not that I can remember." Kamaria replied, but not before placing a firm paw on the lizard. It managed to wiggle free though and shot off into the distance. "Oh look Zazu…you've made me lose my breakfast." She drummed her claws on a nearby rock, making a series of sharp, incessant, repeating clicking sounds.

"I take it back Nia, you're not crazy. _She_ is." Waseme said in a voice that was directed at the cub in question, but loud enough for everyone else to take note.

"Now now cubs, Simba sent me out to watch you. Considering what happened with those two last time I don't blame him." He looked at the meerkat and warthog, referencing a small mishap involving Chuki and a hippo six suns earlier.

"I still have bruises from that…" Chuki sighed, holding up a paw with purplish undertones for proof.

"Aww…and we were just starting to have fun…" the twins voiced their complaint.

"We can still have fun with banana beak," Amri attempted to better the situation.

"Yeah right." The other cubs disputed in stereo.

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_**A/N:** I'm not exactly proud of this chapter. But I had fun with it. It's more of a filler. Can you tell I was in a humor mood? Oh, and there's a bunch of references to other Disney movies. No idea what a chameleon would be doing in the Pridelands, but they're awesome. I've blabbed on long enough. Review please!_


	5. Stars and the Moon

Under cover of pitch darkness on the moonless night, Kamaria slipped out of the cave. She needed to talk to her mother again. These odd looks she got from the lionesses every once in a while; whispers that she was like someone called Taka. At times she had come close to asking her adoptive parents, but she could never articulate to them. Why did she look so much like a lion who had been killed years ago?

She picked her way along the shadows as far as possible; then darted to where she was in the center of the fields of swaying grass. No trees to cover her or rocks to duck behind. The darkness was not harsh or suffocating. It covered her gently and held her there, without concern of when or where. A time when she could hide from the world as she crouched in plain view.

Night. Neither twilight nor dusk. Just the purest form of night. Shadows melded with features of the land, creating a new world. A sanctuary for whoever chose to search for it. To be invisible when through the day eyes bored on her from every angle. To be free from their expectations. The sense of peace had chased her original intentions to the edge of her mind. Only when a comet shot past did she recall.

"Mother?" The light breeze pulled the whisper from her, dissipating it into dust. She drew in a breath and called, "Mother!"

Why wasn't there a response? Was she doing something wrong?

"Are you there Mother?" She shouted, no longer concerned that it would alert the pride to her location. "Mother! Answer me! It's me, Kamaria. Please…I need you. I'm confused. Are you there? Mother, why won't you answer me?"

A whistle of wind. Clouds moved, uncovering a new patch of stars.

"Mother? Mother! Help me. I'm scared. Please…I wish you hadn't left. I wish you were here with me. Are you mad at me? Please don't be angry with me…please…I just want to see you again. Tell me something. I don't know what to do! Why do they treat me so differently? Why do they look scared of me sometimes?"

She screamed and shrieked at the midnight sky.

"Please answer me. I need something…anything… an answer, a sign, a hint, a clue…anything. Please…I don't like being so alone. I'm confused. Are you there? You have to be there. You have to be! Why did you leave me? I need you! You left and I need you. How could you?! I hate you! I hate you for leaving and for dying and for not telling me who my father is and for not being here… I hate you for everything you ever did to me! I hate you…"

Tears choked her with her own words, threatening to strangle her.

"I need you…I'm sorry. I don't hate you. I want to…but I don't. Please don't be upset with me, Mother. Please…I need you…need someone…I'm afraid. Please help me…I miss you more than anything…I miss you…so much…" She rolled into a ball and sobbed herself to sleep.

"Kama? Kamaria?" A paw nudged her back. "Kama…wake up…please wake up."

She opened one eye, then the other as she turned her head to look back over her shoulder. The gray light of just before dawn bathed her vision, making Musa appear like a glowing ghost.

"Am I dead?" She whispered to the blanched cub.

"No." Musa smiled and pressed his forehead to hers in proof. "You're not dead."

"Oh…well that's good." She smirked shyly and inquired, "Do the others know that I'm out here?"

He shook his head 'no' and elaborated, "I woke up when I noticed you weren't there…so I went out to look for you."

"Thank you…" She pressed herself back into a sitting position, glancing around she noted that the gray sky was slowly melding into pale pink along the edges of the horizon, "They'll notice we're gone soon. We should head back."

"Yeah…we should…" he made no move to get going though and continued quietly, "I heard you crying…that's how I found you. I watched you for a while…then you just went still and quiet…"

"Oh." She was at a loss for words.

"I was scared…for you." He put his paw next to hers. The contrast of white to dark brown was stark and noticeable. For now neither knew the significance of the gesture.

"Come on. I'll race you back!" She pressed against his side and was a receding blur by the time he looked up. What was this feeling that made her head reel? Where did this warm knot in her gut come from? Why had it started when she stared at her paw beside his?

She felt her heart pound, her paws barely tapped the ground as she flew along. The world was hers once more in these fleeting moments before the sun reclaimed it. With every step more definite shapes took form. Shadows no longer blended in with the earth. Deep red announced the sunrise, fading to a bright orange as it climbed.

"Found them!" Chuki shouted to the rest of the pride when they just about ran her over coming over a knoll.

Kamaria and Musa skidded to a halt in front of the glowering, assembled pride. Their grins dropped as soon as the expressions registered. Their pulses raced from the sprint and nervousness both felt. Swallowing hard they exchanged melancholic glances before crawling forward towards their respective parents. Simba stepped forward though, cutting them off before he began his scolding.

"Musa how could you? You've been warned not to leave Pride Rock at night. You put Kamaria in danger. One of you could have been hurt--"

She boldly cut him off, "It's not Musa's fault. I went out when everyone was sleeping. I fell asleep in the open grass and he found me."

"Is this true?" The massive lion looked at the white cub, making the latter seem miniscule.

"Yes sir. I woke up because she wasn't there…I didn't want to wake everyone else up." Musa replied, wishing he could divert his gaze to something nowhere near as frightening as the king's face. That would be disrespectful though. He was caught between seeming strong and displaying deference.

"Both of you did something very foolish last night that could have put the whole pride in danger. I would expect you to understand the rules of our pride by now Kamaria." Simba reprimanded the female cub, and continued on, "It seems I have misjudged you, but I would be heartless to turn out a cub. As for you Musa, it is not your concern to go looking for a missing member of the pride. Insolence is intolerable. For this you must both receive punishment: confinement. You may not leave the cave until sunrise tomorrow and during then you are not to talk to any member of the pride, including each other, eat, or have water."

"Daddy this isn't right! They're only cubs!" Kiara pleaded.

He countered, "The cubs have been acting out more ever since she came--"

She cut him off, "What cubs don't? You and Momma did things you weren't supposed to do when you were cubs, so did Kovu and I. There's no harm that comes from it."

"The night is different!" His voice faltered, revealing a deeply rooted fear.

"This is because of Kopa isn't it? He disappeared all those years ago in the night. You can't stand anyone being out at night even after all this time." She called her father out; bringing to attention an incident that was taboo. The other lionesses slipped away, taking the cubs who weren't to be punished with them.

"I told you never to mention your brother." He snapped a command, "To the back cavern with you two."

Kamaria wanted to nothing more than dig herself a hole to hide in. She slinked along with her eyes to the ground. A small thud told her Musa had flopped down against the wall. She did the same and allowed her thoughts to run amok. After awhile she allowed the constant sound of Musa's snores lull her to sleep. It was going to be a long day.

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_**A/N:** I think this chapter turned out well._


	6. Better Days

_**A/N: **I haven't updated this in ages. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this so far. Please R&R. Enjoy!_

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"Simba. Kovu. We need to have a meeting of the pride," Vitani hissed at the lead males.

"There is nothing to discuss," Simba turned and plodded quickly away.

"Don't be so hard-headed. It could do some good," Kovu had to bound a few strides to catch up with Simba and managed to cut him off with his body.

The fiery maned lion let out a low grumble, accepting. He huffed and made his way up to the outmost precipice of Pride rock. "Pride lions...assemble." His roar meant. It didn't include any of the cubs of course.

Dark brown ears pricked up at the roar. Kamaria opened her mouth to say something but Musa turned away from her--reminding her of their silent-treatment. She sighed and flopped down. Her forelegs splayed in front of her as she settled down to sleep once more.

_"What's this!? I tell you to find others who like you--and you manage to get yourself--and another cub!-- in trouble!"_

_"I'm sorry Mother! I was just...confused."_

_"And you're making excuses now!? You knew perfectly well what you were doing."_

_"I didn't! I swear I didn't!"_

_"Don't lie to me."_

_"I'm not Mother....I'm not lying..."_

_"Then you've gone soft."_

_"I h-have n-n-not!" _

_"You're holding back tears!"_

_"You cried too sometimes!"_

And just like that the dream faded and she was yanked back into reality. Was it really true? Had she watched the rise and fall of Nyota's breathing so intently as to figure out those few times she had allowed emotion to show? She had been born to a pride that made it's dwelling in a good sized oasis. No individual faces stuck out in her memory (except for that of her mother). Had there been other cubs there? She wasn't sure.

"It's bad luck to allow rogues into a pride," , an elderly lioness who had been born during Ahadi's reign, started them off huffily.

"Luck has nothing to do with it,"

"She's a bad influence,"

"Nala. Kiara. Simba and Kovu were considered 'bad influences' and you turned out none the worse for it," Sarafina observed calmly, "A bit headstrong, but you turned out alright."

"Mama..." Nala sighed as Kiara groaned good naturedly, "Nyanya!"

Kovu stepped forward with a ridiculous smirk. "This pride is the merging of two. It's time to stop being so worked up about this. What does it matter who her father is? Just because she shows similarities doesn't mean--"

"She has his same mannerisms and that couldn't be just coincidental," Siwatu--Musa's mother--cut him off.

"But Kovu and I are his only remaining progeny," Vitani's words were full of skepticism.

"That is not entirely true. There were others before you, several in fact. I exhiled most of them," Sarabi stepped forward. "Nuka would have remembered some of them."

"Didn't the hyenas chase some of the lionesses away?" Ila piped in.

"And then the divide happened,"

As these discussions continued, the nearly forgotten cubs were perfectly quiet in the back cave. They spoke with their bodies though.

_"It's my fault we're in here. I'm sorry." _A look down at her own forepaws, then around the cave. She lowered herself slightly and looked at him with pleading eyes.

_"You should be." _Musa turned his head away from her, but not so much that he couldn't see her anymore.

Kamaria sank down in an attempt to make herself as small as possible and closed her eyes for a moment. _"I really am sorry."_

_"Quit groveling." _He tossed his head back, chin slightly raised.

_"What happened to you? Why are you so mean all of a sudden?" _She perked her ears up and looked at him inquisitively.

_"I'm stuck in here with you." _His look was pointed--as sharp as his own teeth.

_"Am I really all that bad?" _She sat up, challenging him.

_"I should have let you be eaten." _To emphasize the last he bared his teeth and snapped at her.

Kamaria bounded away just as quickly as she could. Eyes wide and heart pounding laboriously fast, she looked back at him. Nyota had snapped so many times at her in a similar fashion. Some had been just a hair's breadth from her ears. A flinch prevented them from being pierced or torn. She swallowed hard, making herself tall and proud. She leveled her gaze at him as she slowed her breathing. Her expression faded into a cold-hearted glare. As she stared at him she thought she read some sign of...concern?

"Bibi, do you remember everyone you sent away during and after his reign?" Kiara inquired of Sarabi.

The aged lioness smiled thoughtfully, "I believe so. Now let's see. First there was Ngwame--she was with his child and I couldn't bear to see an heir born, then Sikia and her cubs, Isis and all her offspring after that, Nakida--I don't recall her having any cubs, Seeka, and the boy Nunka--Kovu, Vitani, he would have been your oldest brother. Sarafina, I'm missing someone I think."

"No, those were all the ones you made leave. The hyenas chased others away: my sister Elanna and Nyota," The second lioness clarified.

"Nyota was an odd, sweet girl," Dhoruba recalled, "Never could figure out how she fit in."

"We don't even know her mother's name--much less whoever fathered her," Nala brought that to their attention.

The other cubs had attempted to play a round of tag, but there was a consensual feeling of guilt. They laid on a grassy hill, contemplating. As much as cubs could contemplate of course. They lazed in the golden yellow and chartreuse green grasses.

"I think it's sweet he went out looking for her," Zahra sighed.

"Ah that's sissy stuff," Amri stated off-paw-edly

"Oh yeah?" Nia asked incredulously.

"Yeah," He was pinned by his little sister in an instant.

"Did Kama teach you that?" Chuki smirked.

"And what if she did?" Little Nia put on an act of being tough.

"I wonder when the lionesses'll let us come hunting with them again," Waseme steered the conversation to another topic.

"Maybe it has something to do with her," Harbuu ventured.

The others just shrugged. What did they know of it?

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_**A/N**-I'm pretty satisfied with this, despite it being on the short side. I had fun getting back into these characters. There are some new names present, some are characters named by me, others I found on the Unofficial Lion King Character Encyclopedia. Per the request of Aquaman52 I have added a list of all the characters present or mentioned in this story. It's actually quite helpful. Reviews are love!_


	7. So Small

**_A/N:_** _Another update. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Please review this one too!_

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Darkness had risen on the Pridelands. The primary peppering of stars in the sky accompanied the opaque glow of the moon. The upward tilt of the crescent's edges resembled a bizarre grimace or a strangely distorted eye. Mwezi saw all and told nothing. The keeper of the night looked on.

The song was from happier times. A little tune she had once heard sung under the cover of a breath. She wanted to say the words, but she dare not even hum. Her body swayed to the silent tune only she could hear.

_"Zum, zum, zum, nyuki lia wee. Zum, zum, zum, nyuki lia wee." _It was simple, honest in it's endeavors. There were no suspicions or double meanings here. _"__Toka mbali, kutafuta ua nzuri kwa chakula." _The movement only remained in her tail. She let her eyes slip closed. _"Zum, zum, zum, nyuki lia wee. Zum, zum, zum, nyuki lia wee." _

From the niche he had claimed, out of the corner of his eye, he watched her. He thought of words to describe her, but there are only so many words a cub has. He couldn't really pin this whole ordeal on her, he had just as much fault in this as she did. Getting in trouble and being subsequently punished never sat well with him though.

"_Maua mazuri yapendeza, maua mazuri yapendeza." _She settled into the dreamstate. She retreated into her little world she had never told anyone about. A spot of salvation in the endless sweltering heat. Trees with fronded tops shaded the area. Cool, refreshing water meandered through a swatch of the middle. "_Ukiyatazama, utafurahia. Maua mazuri yapendeza." _The little flowers that poked their way out of the sand. _"Zum, zum, zum, nyuki lia wee."_

He started comparing them--himself to her--in his mind. His fur was white as the clouds. Hers could only be described as mud. But that didn't quite do it justice. It was like the mud that formed on the banks of the watering hole just after The Rains with a twinge of red mixed in. His eyes, he had been told, were a blue nearly identical in shade to the sky. Hers, if he remembered correctly, were a deep, vibrant green like the leaves of the mfuu tree. He was like mbingu and she resembled dunia: the sky and the land. He had a mother. She did not.

The water was so close she could almost reach out and ripple it with a claw. She always hated to break the illusion. For as long as she could she lay as still as she could, not twitching a muscle. She wouldn't address that she was dreaming, but she couldn't acknowledge that it wasn't real. She was wide awake as she slept.

"Don't you think this is enough of a shock to her already? We've punished her enough for now. There's no use in scaring her more by launching questions on her as soon as it's all over. Have any of you ever seen such a fearful cub?" Kivuli inquired of the group. She had lost two cubs in the cave in and Waseme was conceived suspiciously when a group of rogues had passed along the border of the Pridelands.

"Fearful? _Fear_ful? She's headstrong and obstinate," Shomari, who had also lost two cubs, vampantly disagreed.

"She's confused and overwhelmed."

"What do you call those snide comments?"

"A defense mechanism."

"Will you two stop this? It doesn't help with anything," Nala stepped between the two lionesses.

"We'll never get anywhere anyhow if we don't know her mother's name," Ila dropped the comment absentmindedly.

"We're _not_ getting anywhere," Siwatu pointed out.

Kiara brushed along the side of her mother. "Mama...what really happened to Kopa?" She attempted to keep it to a mumbly whisper. The interest of other ears was piqued.

"I suppose now is as good a time as any to tell you--all of you," Nala ran her eyes over the assembled pride. "Kopa wandered off one night, plain and simple as that. There was no sound of a struggle, no animal in the Pridelands ever reported finding a cub's body. That's why your father reacted the way he did."

"So Kopa is...still alive?" Kiara cocked her head to the side. It was a numbness that enveloped her after being so sure her brother was dead since they had been cubs.

"Yes," Nala was caught up in her own thoughts, "and there are others who aren't."

"Others? Mama...what do you mean? Do you _mean?"_

"It took a lot more than Kopa for your father to be so overprotective."

"What were their names?" Kiara nuzzled her head against her mother's shoulder.

"Let's see...Aisha, Chaka...one of the sicknesses, Fentali...killed by hyenas, Naline...swept down the river and drowned, Nyala, Zenani, and Thembekile were littermates...all caught in a brush fire, Tanabi...fell off the precipice and cracked his head open. They were your big brothers and sisters," Nala held her head high, very aware of the flashes of pain in her eyes.

"I'm sorry I asked Mama."

"No, it's better that you know," Nala was firm. "There are always cubs who are lost...sometimes more are lost than others. But we're all in this circle of life. Some circles are small and end short. Others are wide and take a while before they end. No matter what they are important to the whole circle," she lifted a forepaw and observed the pawprint beneath it, "they leave their mark."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Vitani inquired thinking of those who had caused destruction.

"It just is."

"If you think at answer is going to satisfy anyone--"

"I'm not trying to satisfy anyone--I'm trying to keep this pride from getting into a petty fight."

"Tell me who's getting into a petty fight Nala...because all I see is you dragging this out."

The Queen gave her former rival a hard stare.

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**_A/N:_** _I think I had the most fun writing this chapter out of all the ones so far.  
Some explanations:  
Mwezi: the moon. Not really a spirit or Of the Past (ancestor) but still an important figure to the lions.  
Kama's song: a Swahili song that translates as:  
Zoom, zoom, zoom, bee cry wee  
Zoom, zoom, zoom, bee cry wee  
From afar, searching for flowers to eat  
Zoom, zoom, zoom, bee cry wee  
Zoom, zoom, zoom, bee cry wee  
Beautiful flowers look so pretty  
Beautiful flowers look so pretty  
When you see them, you will enjoy  
Zoom, zoom, zoom, bee cry wee  
mbingu: the sky, also important to the lions, contact with spirits and Of the Pasts  
__dunia: the earth, another important figure for the lions, especially regarding the Circle of Life.  
Other cubs: Simba was pretty rebellious and as a cub it seems to me, so a few serious mishaps I think he'd let slide, but he also had some pretty traumatic experiences with death. Add to that losing several cubs and you've got the perfect mix for Overprotective Dad. Just add drama and panic.  
Circles: leonine version of souls. Besides the Circle of Life everyone has their own personal circle._

Please review!


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